About Us
Based in Philadelphia...
…Black Pearl is a 21st-century orchestra built for now. Founded in 2008. Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra doesn’t follow tradition. It rewrites it. Our musicians are trained at the world’s top conservatories. That part is expected. What we do with that training is not.
We don’t just perform music. We connect cultures, communities, and ideas—on stage and off. Every program is designed to bring people in, not keep them out.
Led by award-winning Artistic Director Jeri Lynne Johnson, Black Pearl transforms the orchestra from a product you watch into a process you experience. Because music is meant to move you, involve you, and sometimes even hand you the baton.
The results speak for themselves: national recognition, major grants, and a reputation for performances that are, as the Philadelphia Inquirer put it, “first-class on every level.”
But the real measure of success? When a community doesn’t just attend the arts—it claims them.
Thanks to Philadelphia’s PBS Station, WHYY, for this great profile!
An Impact That Matters
Black Pearl transforms the orchestra from a gatekeeper into a shared creative force with concerts and activities that move audiences beyond watching into doing!
Black Pearl envisions an orchestra that reflects the full spectrum of humanity: where classical musics from across world cultures create unified, not uniform, concert experiences!
Excellence without exclusion. Community as collaborator. Transformation through art. Many cultures, one Pearl.
Contact
Founder, Artistic Director
A trailblazing conductor, innovative cultural leader, and creative world builder. Her conducting and programming work consistently blends musical excellence, social impact, and the expansion of classical music traditions.
jeri@blackpearlco.org
Associate Conductor
Jaman (they/them) is the newly appointed Associate Conductor of the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra. Active as a guest conductor, guest soloist, and clinician, they serve as faculty in the vocal and orchestral fields at SUNY University at Buffalo and as the Artistic Director of Buffalo Master Chorale.
jaman@blackpearlco.org
Managing Director
Michele draws on a decade of experience in marketing, fundraising, and operations to advance the orchestra’s mission. Her career spans arts and civic engagement from indie concert promotion to the Peabody Institute and the Fels Institute of Government.
michele@blackpearlco.org
Operations Director
Brent Edmondson is a bassist, producer, and contractor serving as Operations Manager for Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra. His work bridges the orchestral and commercial music worlds, specializing in live music production, artist support, recording projects, and collaborations that connect world-class musicians with audiences across the concert stage, studio, and live events.
brent@blackpearlco.org
Librarian
Chi is a violinist with ensembles across Philadelphia. Alongside her violin work, She also contracts musicians for film, recording, and live performances and frequently collaborates on musical scoring projects alongside her husband, Brent Edmondson, including the soundtrack for the Netflix series Night Stalker.
chi@blackpearlco.org
